Muffins are for anytime; they freeze well in plastic baggies and they're backpack portable. In case anyone ever told you that black bananas are great for banana bread (or muffins), forget it. When bananas turn black, they’re rotten.

What You'll Need: Makes 12 Muffins

1 cup mashed banana, about 2 ripe bananas

1 large egg

1/4 cup canola oil

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon molasses

2/3 cup reduced fat buttermilk

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup rolled oats (thick “old-fashioned” oats)

1 1/2 cup sifted whole wheat pastry flour* or unbleached white flour

What You'll Do:

1. Preheat oven to 375. Place the paper liners into the muffin pan. Try not to use non-stick muffin pans; they cause the muffins to get too brown. If that’s all that you have, it’s OK, the paper liners will help insulate the sides and bottom from burning.

2. In a glass measuring cup, mash the bananas with a fork. In a large mixing bowl, add the egg, oil, sugar, and molasses. Mix well, using a mixer. Mix in the banana and buttermilk.

3. In a small mixing bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. (cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, oats, flour) Add the flour mixture to the liquid mixture and mix slowly just until blended. Pour into the muffin pan, filling each muffin liner almost to the top.
Tip: If you want to fill the holes easily, without globs of batter everywhere, use a glass measuring cup with a pour spout or use a small soup ladle.

4. Bake 20 minutes until they're lightly browned. Pull out the oven shelf and stick a toothpick into the center of a muffin to see if it comes out clean or without wet dough. Muffins get tough if they’re over cooked, so watch carefully. Remove the pan from the oven and cool on a wire rack or on top of the stove. Let cool for 15 minutes before removing from the pan.